In recent years, telecommunication devices have advanced from offering simple voice calling services within wireless networks to providing users with many new features. Telecommunication devices now provide messaging services such as email, text messaging, and instant messaging; data services such as Internet browsing; media services such as storing and playing a library of favorite songs; location services; and many others. In addition to the new features provided by the telecommunication devices, users of such telecommunication devices have greatly increased. Such an increase in users is only expected to continue and in fact, it is expected that there could be a growth rate of twenty times more users in the next few years alone. Such an increase in wireless traffic implies more demand and less radio resource availability, which likely leads to the degradation of the wireless network performance.
Currently, mobile devices on airplanes are only allowed to be powered on once the airplane is 10,000 feet or higher, although the altitude may change in future years. Additionally, once the mobile device is allowed to be powered on, the mobile device generally needs to be activated in only what is referred to as an “airplane mode.” Airplane mode generally does not allow for activation of a cellular radio, e.g., a radio that allows for direct connection to a wireless communication network for the purpose of making phone calls, access to the Internet, etc.
However, airplane mode does generally allow for connection to a wireless local access network (WLAN) on an airplane via WiFi for connection to a wireless communication network. Such a connection via WiFi generally allows for access to the Internet and other features provided by the WLAN on the airplane. Thus, in airplane mode, in order to connect to the WLAN via WiFi, the mobile device needs to activate a non-cellular radio that does not allow for direct connection to a wireless communication network for the purpose of making phone calls. Once the mobile device is connected to the WLAN, the mobile device may connect to a wireless communication network for various messaging purposes. Currently, there is no way to know which mobile devices are connected to the wireless communication network via the WLAN of an airplane and obtain a message count of messages sent and received by the mobile device via the WLAN, as well as what type of messages are sent and received.